CHICAGO (March 14, 2024) – The UIC baseball team (12-6, 0-0 MVC) begins a four-game road trip this week, as the Flames will travel to Lafayette, Ind. for a mid-week match up against Purdue (15-6, 0-0 Big Ten) Wednesday afternoon.
 
FLAMES FACTS

• The Flames enter play this week following a very successful home stand the last two weeks, going 6-1 in seven games at Curtis Granderson Stadium. UIC is hitting its stride at the right time, as it boasts an 8-2 record in its last 10 games heading into conference play this weekend at Belmont.
• Zane Zielinski (Chicago, Ill./Lake View) continues to pace the UIC offense this season, as the senior infielder is batting .443 on the year, and leads the team in home runs with four on the year. Zielinski leads the MVC in batting average, and ranks 26^th nationally in the category.
• Jackson Bessette (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) ranks right behind Zielinski in the Missouri Valley Conference batting average race, boasting a .431 average.
• As a team, the Flames rank 15^th in NCAA Division I with a .326 batting average. They also rank one spot lower in 16^th in fielding percentage with a .982 mark and only 12 errors through 18 games played.
• Wednesday night's game will be UIC's seventh "night" (after 3 p.m. local time) game this year, having won five of its previous six opportunities under the lights.

 
SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS

• UIC and Purdue have met 22 times in series history, with each side having won 11 contests. The two met twice during the 2023 season, with the Flames taking both match ups as part of their 5-1 record against Big Ten opponents.
• The Boilermakers also possess two batters hitting over .400 this year, with Luke Gaffney and Camden Gasser batting .436 and .431 respectively. As a team, Purdue ranks second in the Big Ten in hitting with a .304 team average.
• On the mound, the Boilermakers rank fourth in the Big Ten with a 4.50 team ERA, with opponents hitting .275 against.

 
Wednesday night's game can be seen with a subscription to BTN+ via the schedule page and can also be heard free of charge on the Flames Network, with Jonathan Hood and AJ Schraffenberger on the call from Lafayette. Live stats will also be provided courtesy of the Boilermakers athletic department.
 
For more information on UIC Athletics and UIC baseball, visit UICFlames.com. Fans can also follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Baseball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_baseball and @uicflames).